


What a Drag

by agrajag



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Drag, M/M, Minor Canonical Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-24
Updated: 2013-04-24
Packaged: 2017-12-09 10:30:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/773174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agrajag/pseuds/agrajag
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"Don't mind them. They're just a bit upset because they thought you'd be performing."</i>
</p>
<p><i>"I told you I wasn't," Stiles protested and he most certainly did</i> not <i>squeak. His voice may have raised a few octaves, but he did not squeak.</i></p>
<p>
  <i>"I know, I know. But you can't blame a girl for getting her hopes up. We all thought you'd do an excellent job."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Yeah, I can't see that happening. I mean, I can barely pull off guy clothes and they're made for my body."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	What a Drag

**Author's Note:**

> Phoenix is only credited on IMDb as Drag Queen, so I used her stage name in the story. I hadn't intended for her to play such a huge part. I guess I got carried away, but I think it worked out.

When Phoenix and her friends insisted on programming their numbers into Stiles' phone that night at The Jungle, he had figured he would forget about them in a couple of days and delete them eventually when, one day, he couldn't remember who Joan Jettsetter or Lily Pad were. Little did he know that Phoenix would text him the next weekend asking if he'd like to join her for Amateur Night and that "she wouldn't take no for an answer" and that was totally not creepy at all.

**Me:** i dont know amateur what  
 **Phoenix:** oh honey amateur me  
 **Me:** so i think what you do is cool dont get me wrong but i dont do that  
 **Phoenix:** you don't have to it's still fun

So Stiles said he'd think about it which meant "yes as long as nothing wolf related happens between now and then" and surprisingly it was a relatively slow night, all things considered. Stiles stood in front of his closet for a good solid fifteen minutes before he decided he shouldn't bother. He wasn't going to be dressing in drag, so in reality it didn't matter how he looked at all. No one would care if he was wearing this flannel shirt or the other, so he grabbed his keys and headed to the bar. The dance floor was empty unlike the other night and instead of people dancing there was a decently sized make-shift runway set up. Several people, some in drag and some not, stood along the edges and watched the stage expectantly. It wasn't hard to spot Phoenix in the crowd, her trademark frizzy hair towering above everyone else, so Stiles walked over and tried not to look as awkward as he felt. Why had he said yes again?

"There he is," Phoenix shouted over the music. "Everyone, this is my new friend Stiles. Stiles, these are all the old friends."

Stiles waved at the small group of people Phoenix had been talking to. He recognized one or two of them and hoped they didn't expect him to remember who was who just yet, but no one seemed to really pay him much attention as they went back to the conversation he had interrupted. Phoenix slung her arm around Stiles' shoulder and leaned in so he could hear.

"Don't mind them. They're just a bit upset because they thought you'd be performing."

"I told you I wasn't," Stiles protested and he most certainly did _not_ squeak. His voice may have raised a few octaves, but he did not squeak.

"I know, I know. But you can't blame a girl for getting her hopes up. We all thought you'd do an excellent job."

"Yeah, I can't see that happening. I mean, I can barely pull off guy clothes and they're made for my body."

"That's because you're young and don't know how to dress yet. What?" Phoenix just fixed Stiles with "a look" when he glared at her. "It's true. All your clothes are baggy and do nothing to show off how good you actually look."

"Watch out. You have to be careful how much you compliment my looks. My father's the sheriff."

Phoenix rolled her eyes. "You know I didn't mean that as a come on. No offense, but I don't go for jail bait. Especially when he can't dress himself."

"I hate you," Stiles muttered.

"No you don't because I'm going to teach you how."

Stiles would have protested, he would have, but the lights dimmed and the music faded and one of the queens walked onto the stage. The crowd began cheering and Phoenix turned away before Stiles could say anything. 'Well,' he thought, 'might as well enjoy the show while I'm here.'

"Welcome to Amateur Night everyone. It's so nice to see new faces because, let's be honest, I'm getting sick of these geezers over here." The queen gestured to Phoenix and her friends. For a second Stiles thought there would be a fight or something, but Phoenix simply started laughing.

"Sure, we love seeing queens who look their best," the host continued, "but who doesn't also love seeing a newbie who had no idea what she's doing? Alright, so we may laugh, but mostly we're here to support our sisters and watch them start off and then become the beautiful queens they are deep down. With that, let's begin the show. First off we have Count Dragula."

The crowd hooted and hollered as Count Dragula walked down the runway. She was wearing possibly the skimpiest vampire outfit Stiles had ever seen and she looked good, so Stiles couldn't really blame them. She blew kisses at the crowd, turned around sharply, and made her way back to the stage before disappearing behind the curtains. The rest of the show went on pretty much the same way and Stiles watched as people of all ages get up and walk down the runway with an air of confidence he never possessed himself. These people were putting themselves out there and it didn't matter if they looked professional or were wearing a simple dress and some blush. They were having fun and that's what mattered.

So the next time Phoenix sent Stiles a text saying they were going shopping, Stiles didn't hesitate before he said yes.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

"What do you mean you're busy and it's not because you have homework?" Scott asked, his voice tinny over the phone. "Do you have a new friend? Because I feel like this is in direct violation of our best friend code."

"Oh my God, stop with the teasing. You're terrible at it. I get it. You're actually really happy for me but you have to pretend it's a big deal which I guess, yeah, it kind of it. But yes, I am hanging out with someone besides you for once, so go ahead and laugh it up."

"I am actually happy for you dude. So... who is it? Greenburg?"

"Ew," Stiles said and made a face. He knew Scott couldn't see, but it was expected because really? Greenburg? Did Scott truly think so little of him? "No, not Greenburg. Never Greenburg."

"Is it that guy who sits next to you in English class? You two seem to agree on lots of things."

"No, it's not Joe. Can you please stop guessing? You'll never get it and I'm not telling you. Not yet, at least."

"Aw, come on. You're no fun. Oh! I know why you won't! It's Danny and you're not sure if it's just hanging out or a date."

Stiles blushed and now he was glad that Scott couldn't see him. He never should have told him about how he had realized he was just as interested in guys as he was girls and that his crush on Lydia was kind of shrinking as his crush for Danny was growing. Except, of course he had to tell Scott and Scott was totally supportive. It was the only reason he was constantly teasing Stiles about it in the first place.

"No, it's not Danny. Considering how I got all the details about Allison, trust me I would not give up on my chance to get back at you and give you all the details if I was to get together with Danny."

"Aw," Scott practically cooed.

"Okay, that's my cue to hang up. I'm going to be late if I don't."

"Alright. Don't think this means I'm done though. I'll figure it out in the end. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I can't forget wolf training. I'll see you then. Later."

The Beacon Hills Mall was definitely not a place Stiles ever spent a lot of time especially when it came to clothes shopping. Naturally he'd go there every once in awhile and stop at the FYE to pick up the latest game he was dying to play and, okay, so when he first got the jeep he and Scott would go there sometimes and walk around because there wasn't much else to do back then. Now he was entering the mall with a purpose - he was going to look hot and gain confidence and people would actually pay attention to him and not think he was annoying. He felt like he was off to a good start since Phoenix was willingly spending time with him in the first place, so Stiles had a feeling it was going to work out.

Phoenix told Stiles to meet her at the Old Navy, so he made his way there and only stopped once to buy a pretzel at the food court. He wouldn't say he was late per se, but Phoenix looked pretty bored when he found her.

"What?" he asked, his mouth still full.

"You're eating? Seriously? I'm about to have you try on clothes."

"Sorry."

He wasn't very sorry.

"Whatever. Okay, so Old Navy. Not exactly where I'd shop." Stiles smiled as he took in the expensive looking dress Phoenix was wearing for just a day at the mall. "But for a young man like yourself, it's perfect. Decent prices, well made clothes, and still your style while being more stylish. Let's get started, shall we?"

Stiles had been expecting Phoenix giving him the clothes that would make him look good and call it a day. He had not been expecting an entire lesson on why these clothes made him look good.

"You have to know these things so you can do this yourself," Phoenix told him when she saw him rolling his eyes for the tenth time. "Honestly, you should know how to dress yourself by now."

"You said it was okay the other night," Stiles protested through the changing room door.

"I was being nice." She laughed, though, and Stiles relaxed. He was still getting used to her weird sense of humor that apparently involved being absolutely rude to people you apparently liked. Maybe Phoenix would get along really well with Derek. He walked out, then, wearing the jeans and long sleeved tee Phoenix had insisted he try on first. "Your biggest problem is fit. You don't want your clothes to be too tight that you can't breathe. Well, unless you do decide to do drag. Then there never is a 'too tight.' But you don't want your clothes to be hanging off of you. You need to find the right balance. For pants, you don't want to go down for your waist, but the legs have far too much room. For shirts, you are buying them too big. See, if you go down one size it still has some room, but you can actually see that there's a body under there. A good one too."

"None of that," Stiles warned, jokingly. He looked in the mirror and, well, he had to agree with Phoenix. He looked good despite the whole feeling really self conscious thing. He was not used to his clothes being so small, but then he had to remind himself that they weren't small. They were the right size. The sleeves weren't falling passed his fingertips and the hems of the pant legs weren't trailing along the ground. He checked the price tags and saw that the entire outfit would only cost him $40. He tried on several more outfits before Phoenix gave him a list of what she thought he should buy but that "the decision is up to you, of course." He went with two new pairs of jeans, two of the first long sleeved tee in black and grey, five plain colored tees, and a dark blue cardigan. The last one had been solely because of Phoenix's input. Stiles had wanted to buy flannels, but ones that fit his new dress code, but she talked him out of it. He figured that, yeah, maybe it was time for a change. It wasn't like he was giving up flannels cold turkey because he still had all his old ones anyway.

They parted ways in the parking lot, Phoenix giving Stiles an air kiss on each cheek before heading to her car. Stiles threw his bags into the backseat of the jeep and checked his phone.

**Scott:** you should come over when you're done and we'll play some ac2  
 **Me:** so you can sniff out my new friend no way  
 **Scott:** spoilsport

\----------------------------------------------------------------

That Monday Stiles wore one of the pairs of his new jeans but he couldn't bring himself to do much else. It was hard to feel good about himself when he was far too nervous to switch up his wardrobe. To make things worse, Scott was the only one who noticed anything and that was because he'd only known Stiles forever. Their friendship probably was older than all the jeans Stiles owned and that was saying something. As the day went on, though, Stiles convinced himself he was being ridiculous. First off, no one noticed because no one cared about him if he was being honest with himself. Second thing was, this was supposed to be a confidence boost and he certainly couldn't just magically gain confidence. He had to find some so he could wear the new clothes he had bought or otherwise he would never transition into the hot butterfly he was underneath his cocoon of baggy clothes.

The weekend came with no more kanima deaths and Stiles felt guilt free in heading to The Jungle. He put on the grey long sleeved tee with the new jeans and left before he could second guess himself. As usual, the bartender returned with a soda instead of a beer, but it was okay. A change of clothes wasn't going to suddenly make Stiles look older. He took it in stride, picking up the glass, and turning around in his seat to look for his friends.

For a second Stiles didn't even realize what he had thought, but then he had to tell himself 'Well, Scott won't be here, but Phoenix and Joan and Lily will be, of course.' The last thing he had ever expected to gain from following Danny into a gay bar was friends but here he was and he was totally okay with it.

It was about half an hour before he spotted Phoenix walking through the front door like the dance floor was a catwalk. She smiled when she saw Stiles by the bar and quickly found a seat by him.

"One appletini," she told the bartender.

"Sure thing Phoenix."

"And what is our dear friend Stiles drinking? Coke?"

"Yeah, what kind of drag mother are you? Buying me clothes but not a fake I.D.?" Stiles joked.

Phoenix couldn't stop laughing even as the bartender stared between her and Stiles in disbelief.

"You know this kid?" he asked her.

"This is apparently my new protege," she replied and then, to Stiles, said "I can't be your drag mother until you admit you'll do drag."

"Maybe I will. Maybe I'm working up to it. I wore the new clothes, after all."

"That you did and you look fabulous. You'll be able to pick up any age appropriate guy in here."

"That wasn't the point of this," Stiles said, blushing. "I don't want to pick up guys."

"You just want to pick up a certain guy." It wasn't a question. Phoenix smiled softly and took a sip of her appletini.

"Yeah, okay. There is this one guy and he does come here sometimes, but never in a million years will it happen, right? He is way out of my league and that's only been reinforced since forever."

"Forever, huh? It wouldn't happen to be tall, dark, and handsome who's coming straight this way, would it?"

"You're just trying to make me look so you can laugh at me," Stiles said. "I'm not falling..."

"Hey Stiles!"

Stiles jumped, not anticipating someone to be directly behind him and yelling. He rubbed his ear, which felt like it had burst, and turned so he could yell at whichever one of the queens had scared him. Instead he sat there with his mouth hanging open when he saw Danny.

"I didn't know you'd become a regular here," Danny said.

"Oh, um, no. I'm not. Not really."

Phoenix slapped his arm. "He's just kidding. He loves it here. Don't you Stiles?"

"Oh yeah. It's my favorite place beside my room." Stiles cringed. Could he be anymore awkward? By the look on Phoenix's face, the answer was no. This was as awkward as it got. Yet Danny was laughing and god, did Stiles hope and hope it was a "laughing with you" and not a "laughing at you" situation.

"Well, hopefully you're not turning your room into a bar. It's far too small."

"He's been in your room?" Phoenix asked. She acted scandalized but Stiles could tell she was internally freaking out.

"Oh my God, Phoenix go away. Don't you have other people to bother?"

"Alright, I'll leave you two alone for now, but don't think that our conversation from before is over."

"What were you talking about before?" Danny asked. He took Phoenix's seat and ordered a drink. Naturally the bartender didn't card him and delivered it in record time.

"Nothing!" Stiles shouted quickly. Too quickly. "I mean, it was boring. You wouldn't want to hear about it."

"You guys seem pretty close. I don't mean to sound rude, but I thought you only hung out with McCall."

"Oh, not rude at all." Stiles frowned. Like, he knew he wasn't popular, but no one liked having that fact driven home like that. "Me and Phoenix aren't really close. We just started talking and we only hung out once outside of here. So it's not even like we're really friends or anything."

"Is she the one responsible for the new clothes?" Danny asked and was that a leer? It looked like a leer. And wait a minute. Danny noticed that he had bought new clothes. Did guys who weren't interested in you point out that they actually noticed that you bought new clothes? Oh my God, was Danny flirting with him?

"She helped. I just thought it was time I matured, you know. Stop wearing things I was swimming in. Not a big fan of swimming."

Danny smiled. "I can't see you ever being mature. And I mean that in a good way, I swear."

"How is that even good?"

"I just feel like out of everyone at school, you'll be the one who doesn't completely grow up."

"Okay, I think I see what you mean."

"The clothes are good, though. You can keep the clothes."

"That's a relief. I thought I wasted all that money for nothing."

"Definitely not nothing." Stiles choked on his soda but was able to cover it up by completely hiding his face with his forearms and yeah, Danny still must have noticed. He didn't say anything about it, though, and finished his drink before looking over at the dance floor. "Would you like to dance?"

"Oh man, I don't know. I'm not really good at dancing. To be honest, I don't think I've ever even danced except that one time at my very distant cousin's wedding but I was, like, seven and my partner was the flower girl and we just twirled around and everyone thought it was cute. That doesn't mean I can dance, though, and okay. That was really embarrassing. I'm going to shut up now."

"And there's the Stiles I know," Danny said, looking disappointed.

Stiles was confused. He had rambled more than his fair share throughout the night, but now Danny was pointing it out. Was he upset that Stiles didn't want to dance? That definitely was a red flag, like, he is for sure flirting with Stiles. But what did Stiles do? He didn't want to make a fool out of himself considering he was positive up until an hour ago that Danny thought he was a fool already, but now evidence showed that he at least didn't think Stiles was that big of a fool or was just fool enough to maybe want to date.

"I'm trying to be more confident," Stiles blurted out.

"Is that why you're going to do drag?"

"I'm not... just because I'm friends with Phoenix... I couldn't pull it off."

"You'll never know unless you try just like you'll never know if you can dance," Danny said. He left Stiles then, moving to the dance floor and finding someone to dance with within seconds.

Stiles sighed but he decided to try and be a little happy. The goal had not been to woo Danny. He never even expected Danny to be at the bar at the same time as him, so in reality, the night had been a success. Still, he didn't feel like hanging around any longer, so he paid his tab and headed to the door. Phoenix stopped him before he could leave.

"I'm not going to help you if you aren't even going to try," she said.

"Wow, you're even creepier and stalker-ier than Derek. Were you watching us the whole time?"

"I don't know who this Derek is, but I'm not a stalker. I just happened to notice that your stud left you for someone else. What happened?"

"Nothing, okay. I'm just too awkward. Like, even more awkward than other teenagers. Like, even my best friend who had asthma and occasionally lacks common sense got a girlfriend, but I talk to people and it turns them off."

"Well, if you're not going to talk to me, talk to your best friend then."

Phoenix walked off, dramatically of course, and Stiles banged his head against the door a couple of times before he had the will to open it.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles knew Phoenix was right. About talking to Scott, that was. He had been keeping him in the dark for too long about what he was doing instead of wolf-related things and it wasn't like he probably already knew what was going on since bar smell must be hard to wash off after one shower. So when Scott showed up the next morning saying they should do some studying and more ACII playing, Stiles told him everything.

"I think you need to make up with her, first of all," Scott said. He smiled and jotted down something in his chemistry notebook.

"The one time you actually pay attention to your work is when I'm spilling my heart."

"Hardly. Like, no offense dude, but you don't do feelings well. You bottle everything up. The only person you kind of let stuff out around is your dad."

"Don't psycho-analyze me. I feel betrayed. I'm wounded." Stiles fell back on his bed and clutched his chest. He sat back up and prodded Scott's shoulder. "So... thanks for calling me out on my shit and telling me what I already know. Any other advice about the Danny situation?"

"I'm not the best person to ask."

"You totally are! You have a girlfriend, in case you forgot."

"I just went for it. Obviously, that's not your way of doing things, so you have to find out what your way is, and not the Lydia way of admiring from afar for years and buying gifts you never give her, and then you can ask him out."

"You're a terrible best friend, have I ever told you that?"

"Possibly once or twice when I tried to bite your head off. Literally."

"Good. It needs to be said every now and again. Now, what did you get for number eight?"

They finished up their chemistry homework and fired up the XBOX. Stiles was losing terribly as he texted Phoenix during lulls in the game play.

**Me:** sorry  
 **Phoenix:** that's a shitty apology  
 **Me:** dude how its straight forward thats all  
 **Phoenix:** whatever you're forgiven i guess

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles would say he was loyal to an extent, and so he may not be in love with Lydia the same way, but they had become sort of friends by default and it killed him that no one was showing up for her birthday party. It clearly meant a lot to her and after all that she had been through, which was far too much despite how he tried to write it off like it was nothing to ease his own guilt, she deserved the best party they could throw her. He texted Phoenix the address and told her to bring everyone she could. Stiles had expected her to show up with the regular gang from The Jungle, but instead he got most of their class and then some.

"Thanks so much, man," Stiles said when he was finally able to get a minute alone with her. "This will really mean a lot to my friend."

"It was my pleasure. I like her, too. She's got spunk."

"I thought you two would get along. I mean, you're both fabulous, that goes without saying," Stiles said flippantly. "Share any fashion tips yet?"

"No. I'm saving them all for you, honey."

Phoenix ran her hand up Stiles' arm, the glitter on her nails catching in the light, and as soon as she was there, she was gone. Stiles watched her waltz through the crowd, drink in hand, and he sighed. The whirlwind that was Phoenix was taking over his life and he still wasn't sure how that had happened between homework and lacrosse and werewolves. He walked over to the table with the punch bowl and got a cup for himself.

Lydia was there, handing punch out to all the guests, and Stiles leaned up against the table and smiled.

"Another successful Lydia Martin party, huh?"

"You've never been to one of my parties before," Lydia pointed out. "You wouldn't really know."

"Well, thanks for rubbing that in my face."

"Thank you."

It was so quiet that for a second Stiles wasn't sure if he had heard correctly. For a brief moment, Lydia seemed like her usual self. Well, almost. Her usual self that Stiles knew was the overly confident girl who strutted down the hallway and blatantly ignored him. This was the Lydia that he saw once at the formal when she agreed to dance with him. But as soon as it was there it was gone and the mask was back. She grinned and handed him another cup of punch.

"Uh, I just had one. I think I'm good."

"Oh, liven up Stiles. You went all this way to make my party fun, so you should have some yourself."

"Okay, yeah. Sure. Makes sense. You're welcome, by the way. It was, uh, the least I can do."

Stiles took the cup Lydia offered him and blushed when she leaned in to kiss him on the cheek before disappearing into the other room. His happiness didn't last long once everyone started hallucinating, but the next day he replayed the moment again and again in his head and it made everything a little bit better. It was then he decided he needed to be more like Lydia and just go for it. Fake it until you make it, or something like that.

Phoenix would be ecstatic.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles didn't feel confident anymore. Stiles felt alone and scared and he couldn't breathe when he thought back on everything that happened. Not just the night in the sheriff's department, but everything since the night Scott was bit and all of this had started. He tried to imagine what life would have been like if none of it had happened. A couple of months ago he wouldn't have wanted it to. Despite the changes he had to make, helping Scott on full moons and worrying whether or not the alpha was going to attack again, he loved it deep down. His life had been so boring and he was tired of waiting for the soundtrack to kick in and to get his happy ending 90's teen movie style. Now, too many people had been hurt. _His dad had been hurt._ Stiles was beginning to think he couldn't do it anymore. There was the championship game to look forward too, even though he never played, and even his dad was excited. If he tried to focus on that, maybe he'd be fine.

There was also another Amateur Night the night before the game and Phoenix was determined to get Stiles to participate.

**Phoenix:** come on it'll be fun  
 **Me:** sorry i just dont feel like it 2 much going on  
 **Phoenix:** it's a fun way to forget real life troubles trust me  
 **Me:** is that why u do it  
 **Phoenix:** i do it for many reasons

Stiles realized he didn't really know that much about Phoenix's personal life and he almost asked her if she wanted to talk about it, but first off, not only did that sound lame. Honestly, there had to be a better and less obnoxiously cliche way to ask someone that, but also he was afraid then she'd want him to open up in return and there was no way he was going to tell her about werewolves. It's not like he didn't trust her. By this point, he had to admit he kind of did. No, he just liked having this part of his life, Phoenix and The Jungle and his crush on Danny, that was completely separate from all the werewolf nonsense.

So he said yes.

Phoenix texted him an address and told him to meet her there any time he could before Amateur Night. Stiles promised he'd stop by after school and headed over as soon as he dropped Scott off. He was kind of nervous going to Phoenix's house and he wondered what his dad would say, but then he remembered that he also spent a ridiculous amount of time with yet another older guy and this one had been arrested on several occasions and was more likely to murder Stiles than Phoenix was. He laughed, sitting there in his jeep, at how insane his life had become before he finally turned the engine off and headed up the walkway.

Phoenix answered the door wearing a pair of jeans and a tee. There was no make-up or teased hair. It was almost as if Stiles was looking at a whole other person.

"There's something different about you," he said.

"You're the one who's going to be wearing the dress today," Phoenix replied. She dragged, literally grabbed his arm and dragged, Stiles into a room filled with costumes and lipsticks and heels. Stiles imagined it was what every little girl, and some little boys, dream closet looked like. He held up a feather boa and basically gawked.

"Well, this is overwhelming."

"I'm positive that we'll find something in here that'll fit your drag persona. Phoenix went through hundreds of phases, so there's a little bit of everything in here. First, you have to come up with who your character is going to be."

"Character?"

"Yeah. Drag is about performance. Who you are is a little bit of yourself, true, but exaggerated. You definitely become a character."

"I don't know what that would be like for me."

Phoenix sighed. "Do I have to do all the work? Okay, she would talk a lot. And fast. Other queens wouldn't be able to get a word in edgewise. She'd be smart. Really smart. Kind of nerdy. You'll need glasses. If you're a nerd, always go with glasses. But stylish ones because she's classy. Very classy." Stiles noted the change in tense as Phoenix formed his character in her mind. She started shuffling through boxes and handed Stiles a pair of black cats eye glasses encrusted with jewels. "So, what's her name?"

"I think she's a Sasha," Stiles said after some thought. He put the glasses on.

"Sasha? I like it. So Sasha, what do you want to wear for your debut?"

In the end, Stiles picked out a bright yellow sundress from Phoenix's collection. They argued for at least twenty minutes about shaving before Stiles found some pink tights that Phoenix agreed were a good enough compromise. Stiles just couldn't risk his teammates asking him why he had shaved his legs. Like, he was embarrassing enough in his day to day life. He didn't want them to find out about his new hobby. To be honest, he even would have rathered if they found some of the sites he had bookmarked for werewolf related inquiries. Then Phoenix taught Stiles how to paint his face as she told him it was called when he kept saying "put on make-up."

"This is more than just putting on make-up," Phoenix explained. "You have to hide your masculine features and then re-create feminine ones. Then you get to put on the actual "pretty" make-up like your eyeliner and blush."

"This seems like a lot of work."

"It is, but it's worth it in the end. For your first time, I don't expect you to do much. Plus, you'll be wearing glasses, so you don't want to go overboard either. I think you should go for a light yellow eye shadow and then thin eyeliner. That should be more than enough."

"Alright. So, I should just buy that stuff then? Like, you're not supposed to share eye make-up, right? I think that's how it goes."

"Now what kind of drag mother do you think I am?" Phoenix asked. She handed Stiles an unopened make-up kit.

"Dude, thanks. You didn't have to do it."

"I wanted to. I never was someone's drag mother before. It's a pretty great feeling."

Stiles wasn't sure what to say to that. It was the first time he ever felt like Phoenix was being completely honest. He didn't have to worry about it long, however, because Phoenix was hugging him before he knew what was happening. He dropped the make-up kit and hugged her back.

"I promise I'll try my best."

"You damn well better," Phoenix mumbled.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles felt like he was going to die. He wasn't nervous or anything. Well, okay, maybe a little nervous. It was mostly the tights, though. He knew he was too skinny for his own good, and yet the tights felt like they were cutting into everything. They were not a fashion accessory. They were a torture device. There was also the fact that he got mascara in his eyes, they started to water, his eyeliner bled, and he had to repaint his face while his eyes burned something terrible. Then there was the wig that was so itchy against his near bald scalp, the heels were pinching his toes, and the strap of the purse was digging into his shoulder. 'How do women do this all the time?' he thought. He wasn't sure he was going to survive one night.

He made sure he got dressed long after his dad had left for his late shift and then ran as fast as he could in the heels from the door to his jeep, hoping that none of his neighbors saw him. He wasn't ashamed that he was wearing a dress, but he didn't really want to explain it to anyone he knew. He tried to imagine explaining it to little old Mrs. Wu and he could feel himself blushing. No, Sasha was only going to show her face at The Jungle and that was that. So he drove as fast as he could without breaking any major laws and made his way into the bar.

He was bombarded by praise immediately.

"Oh my God, look at Phoenix's little friend," Lily said. She hugged Stiles so tightly that, combined with the tights, he was pretty sure he couldn't breathe even if he tried. "You look fabulous. Even if you have hair on your arms."

"I'm sixteen. What do you expect?"

Lily laughed. "You are going to fit right in. Girls, come check... what's your name, dear?"

"You know my name."

"Your drag name," Lily said as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, yeah, right. Sasha. Her... my name is Sasha."

"Alright then Sasha. Girls, come check Sasha out."

By then Phoenix, Joan, and all the other queens were gathering around Stiles and complimenting him. Well, they were complimenting Sasha, he supposed.

"You look perfect," Phoenix told him. "I'm proud of you."

"Oh, look at Phoenix. Getting emotional. Don't cry now. You'll ruin your face," Joan warned her.

"I'll be honest, I'm a little uncomfortable right now," Stiles admitted. "So, yeah. Please don't cry. It's not that big of a deal."

"No, it isn't," Joan said. "Honestly, when it boils down to it, you're just wearing a dress. Not a big deal at all. Now, walking down the runway may be a bit of a deal. But you're going to do great Sasha. We all have faith in you."

"Thanks. Well, I guess I better go backstage and get ready."

Stiles walked as carefully as he could to the backstage area. All he had to do was sign his name, well Sasha's name, and then they gave him a tag with a number. He was number five. At least he wouldn't be going first. He didn't know what he'd do if that were the case. There was still a few minutes before the MC was scheduled to take the stage, so Stiles headed back to the bar and asked for a water. Suddenly it seemed his throat was dry and his hands were clammy. He chugged the water as soon as the bartender set the glass on the bar and then checked his lipstick in the compact Phoenix had given him. He was too busy making sure he hadn't messed everything up that he didn't notice the person standing behind him.

"Stiles, is that you?"

"Holy shit," Stiles yelled. He dropped the compact and purse onto the floor. He turned around quickly and of course it had to be Danny who had successfully snuck up on him once again. "Give a guy a heart attack, why don't you?"

"Sorry. I just... I had to make sure it was you," Danny said almost sheepishly. "I didn't think you'd actually go through with this. I mean, at least not so soon. It's good though. You look good."

"Thanks man. Are you staying for the show?"

"I definitely am now. It doesn't start for another twenty minutes, right? Can I buy you a drink?"

"Oh my God, you have no idea how badly I want to say yes to that because first off, this bartender just will never give into my charms, and second I just really would love that. I mean, like that. A lot. A drink from you. But Phoenix would kill me if I drank before my debut. Also, I'm not sure how well I can walk in heels while sober let alone after a drink. But, uh, maybe later?"

"Yeah, after you win."

"I'm not going to win," Stiles said rolling his eyes.

"Sure. If you say so. Who am I rooting for, then?"

Stiles cleared his throat and tried to pitch his voice higher. He offered Danny his hand. "The name's Sasha, darling."

"Best of luck Sasha."

Stiles excused himself then and headed back to join the other amateur queens. The MC was already on stage telling the usual jokes, though they still received a decent response from the audience. Then the music was blasting from the speakers and number one went out on the stage. It took the four people in front of Stiles merely ten minutes to walk up and down the runway and he was so not prepared to do it yet. He knew he could back out and no one would judge him for it. Except these were drag queens. They'd be assholes, jokingly but still assholes, about it for at least a week what with the constantly teasing him about it until he finally took the plunge. So Stiles took a deep breath and teetered out on the far too high heels.

The song that was playing was obnoxious at best. He couldn't hear a thing, but he could see Phoenix and the others yelling in the front row. Not knowing what they possibly could be saying, however he could guess it was not so clean words of encouragement, he just smiled at them as he passed. Farther down on the runway he was able to see Danny sitting at the bar holding his hands to his mouth as he cheered. And there was the confidence Stiles had been seeking. He twirled at the end of the runway and walked back with more of a bounce in his step. He wasn't even worried about whether or not he'd fall.

In the end, it was the part after doing his walk that was agony. He had to wait backstage as ten more queens went before the MC would announce the winner. It wasn't as if you actually won anything. You were given a cheap party store tiara and got to wear a sash the rest of the night which, as Phoenix explained to Stiles the other day, you had to hand in before you left. It still would be awesome to win anyway, he figured. He wasn't sure if Sasha did tiaras, but Danny would be impressed and that was a major plus.

Stiles didn't win. He would be lying if he said he wasn't a little bit disappointed, but as cheesy as it sounded when he just thought it, he was a winner anyway because when he joined everyone back on the dance floor, there was hugs and kisses and everyone shouting at once how fantastic he had been. Phoenix even shed a tear despite promising that she wasn't going to cry. Then again, she admitted she had several martinis since then. Stiles eventually excused himself and went back over to the bar to where Danny was waiting.

"I told you I wouldn't win," Stiles said. He sat down and consciously fixed his dress before anyone saw something totally embarrassing.

"You love being right, don't you?" Danny looked slightly annoyed but he motioned for the bartender anyway. "I'll have another beer and for Sasha?"

"I'll have a Jack and coke," Stiles told the bartender and batted his eyes in a way he hoped was flirty and not completely pathetic. Otherwise he'd be stuck with just coke again.

"Alright. A Jack and a coke for the lady."

"Wow, that actually worked," Stiles muttered when the bartender left.

"They love the queens. If you don't want to be carded all the time, just come in drag for now on."

"I will definitely have to do that."

"You really do plan on doing it more often? Because you were fantastic up there. I know that's just one walk and to perform you need a whole show, but I'm sure you'd be able to come up with something. A lot of things."

"Because I talk too much. I got it. Phoenix told me Sasha had to be a nerdy girl who can't stop talking once she gets started. So basically me in a dress."

"It works. I like the glasses, by the way. You look really good with glasses."

The bartender delivered their drinks then and Stiles took a huge sip. "You keep saying I look good. Are you finally admitting you find me attractive?"

Danny sighed. "I thought you wanted to just know if gay guys found you attractive. Which I think by now you know the answer to. And you should know I hated when you asked me that. It was kind of insensitive."

"I'm sorry. I was just curious."

"I know. But you have to realize that like straight guys, not all gay guys have the same taste."

"So what's your taste?"

"Usually assholes, but I may have decided to try nerdy guys who can't stop talking once they get started."

"Oh. Oh. Okay, so definitely flirting. Good to know I wasn't thinking too much into things. That's good."

"We should go out sometime. Outside of The Jungle."

"I would really like... really love that."

Danny stayed for awhile longer and they talked about everything from lacrosse to chemistry to a code Danny was working on to Stiles' new found hatred toward tights. When he was getting ready to leave, Danny asked for Stiles' phone and he programmed his number into it. Stiles slipped it back into his purse and most certainly did not think about how natural that felt already.

"Okay, so I'll see you at the game tomorrow night," Stiles said.

"Yeah. I'll see you then."

There was an awkward moment where Stiles stood up from his stool and hovered in front of Danny, unsure of what was okay. They hadn't been on a technical date, but they had both made their intentions clear. In the end Danny gave him a quick hug catching Stiles by surprise and he was gone before his brain caught up and he could return it. He watched Danny leave and then found Phoenix dancing.

"Mind if I join you?" Stiles asked.

"Sasha, I would be honored girl."

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Stiles had learned a long time ago how to hide his true emotions for the sake of his loved ones. He had learned there was no point in letting on how hurt you really were because it accomplished nothing and just made everyone else feel like shit too. The lie came easy when he limped into his room to find his dad on the phone doing his best to find him. Lying came too easily anymore and Stiles almost wanted to stop it right then, but he knew all that good it would do was to make his dad worry even more. Perhaps he'd tell him someday, but now was not the time. So he told him it was just some high school kids, which would have been traumatizing enough, and decided to keep what really happened to himself. He knew Erica and Boyd would never mention it as students of Derek Hale and his philosophy Never Deal With My Issues Ever. Like Stiles was one to talk.

He thought that after everything he wouldn't want to do drag again, at least for awhile, but being Sasha was the best way to forget it all. The next weekend he painted his face to hide the bruises and put on a pink summer dress, some tights and pumps, and his glasses. He told Phoenix to meet him there and was surprised when he didn't get a response. The Jungle was practically empty in comparison to all the other times Stiles went there and he started to wonder if he missed some sort of memo. Nick, the bartender who had finally introduced himself now that he wasn't ignoring Stiles, brought him a Jack and coke without Stiles even having to ask. He looked uncomfortable.

"It's on the house," he said when Stiles went to pay him.

"Thanks man. That's pretty awesome of you."

"Yeah. It's just, uh... I heard. About what happened. I'm sorry."

"How did you know?" Stiles asked quietly. "Okay, look, I don't wanna talk about it. I don't really want people to know about it. When I'm here, none of that shit matters. Like, real life? Doesn't exist in here."

"I get you."

Stiles finished his drink by himself and headed out once he realized no one was going to show. He really needed to do something to get his mind off of things and as much as he loved Scott, he would just remind Stiles of that night. Phoenix obviously wasn't sure how to approach Stiles know that she most likely knew and Stiles didn't blame her. He was just some obnoxious kid that she had no obligation to deal with. So Stiles did something he normally wouldn't in a million years and texted Danny.

**Me:** jungles dead wanna hang  
 **Danny:** yeah that would be great  
 **Me:** alright be over in 30 have to go from sasha to stiles  
 **Danny:** it's cool if you come over sasha style my parents are gone

Stiles thought it would be weird to just hang out while he was in drag but he figured it wouldn't hurt. It would save him all the time of going home, taking off all his make-up and changing, and then doubling back to get to Danny's house. He drove straight over and rang the bell. Danny answered the door in a loose fitting tee and gym shorts and Stiles suddenly felt possibly a bit more than over dressed.

"I almost thought you wouldn't do it," Danny admitted as he led Stiles to his room. "But then again, it's you. I should have known you had to take the challenge."

"Dude, it was hardly a challenge. Also, I'm probably losing half of Sasha so I can get comfortable anyway. The wig is really bugging me tonight."

"Well, you're welcome to use the bathroom first. I was just about to start the first Resident Evil."

"You're the best. I'll be in in a minute."

Stiles went into the bathroom and removed his wig, glasses, and tights. He also decided to try and remove as much as the make-up as he could with just warm water. He found Danny lying on his bed as the main menu for Resident Evil played on a loop. He glanced around to see if there was a chair but there wasn't.

"It isn't very lady-like of me to sit on the floor, but beggars can't be choosers," he said.

"No, I can't make you sit on the floor."

"You aren't making me. Even if you are hogging most of the bed."

"Come on. There's enough room for you."

Stiles blushed because okay. Even if it was just sitting together on the bed that was still being really close to Danny on his bed and the thought of that was leading to other thoughts and Stiles seriously was cursing his over active imagination. Especially because he could not hide anything in his current outfit. He tried to think about Harris and the smell of the boys locker room and alright. He was able to sit down without making a total fool out of himself. Danny looked pleased and settled back down against the pillows before he hit play.

Danny not so subtly shifted closer and closer to Stiles as the movie began. By the time the elevator scene was happening, which Stiles always kind of had to avert his eyes during but now it seemed pathetic when he thought about some of the things he'd seen in real life, Danny was flush against Stiles' side. Stiles tried to pay attention to the movie, he really did, but it was impossible when he could feel the heat coming off of the body next to him in waves. It was mostly comforting, but he was still just a teenage boy, so he was also mildly turned on. If Danny so much as exhaled loudly, Stiles was positive he'd pop a boner and hell no. He was not going to let that happen. He tried to inch away, but he froze when Danny placed his hand on his thigh.

"Is this okay?" he asked.

"Holy shit, it's more than okay. For a minute there I thought you actually wanted to watch a movie and, like, here I was about to combust from all the tension building up which I initially thought was one sided, at least for the time being. I mean, you made it quite clear you wanted something with me, but I had assumed it wouldn't happen until we hung out a bit more. Oh my God, shut me up already."

Danny laughed and moved his hand higher, brushing against the hemline of Stiles' dress.

"Okay, you found me out. I don't want to watch the movie."

"So are we gonna make out now while there is zombie violence occurring in the background? Because I am so on board with that. Dream date, to be honest."

"That's good know." Danny straddled Stiles and leaned in so that their lips were just barely brushing. "I'm going to kiss you now."

"I would hope so. I don't need the play by play here."

Then Danny finally shut Stiles up. He kept the kiss sadly PG for far too long - closed mouth and hands far above belt level. If Stiles had been wearing a belt. Oh God, he was having his first kiss while in drag. Well, half in drag. This was not going to be a story to tell the kids or anyone for that matter. He couldn't even properly boast to Scott all of the sordid details. Just as his attention was about to drift away to imagining a future where he couldn't talk about his first kiss, it was called back into the moment when Danny ran his tongue along Stiles' bottom lip. Stiles happily opened his mouth and, for good measure, moved his hands from their spot on Danny's hips to his ass. People could say what they wanted about him, but he never half assed anything.

Danny broke the kiss but immediately started mouthing at Stiles' neck and okay, yeah. That totally did it for him, so he arched his head back to give Danny more room. He nipped slightly and Stiles felt his hips buck up. Danny moved with him, though, and went back to tantalizingly pushing the dress up.

"We don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with."

"Oh my God, I am comfortable with anything and everything. Trust me, I have done my research and then some."

"Hey Stiles?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

Stiles had a comeback, he truly did, but then Danny was shimmying down the bed and ducking his head under Stiles' dress. Apparently that was also doing it for Stiles. Sure, on one hand he'd like to see Danny because he was super hot and Stiles could only imagine how his hotness would intensify in his current position, but not being able to see what he was doing was driving him crazy in the best possible way. He might not be able to see, but he could feel each time Danny exhaled on his thighs and it sent shivers down his spine. He could hear the rustle of the sheets as Danny moved even closer. He slowly pushed Stiles' boxer briefs down and left them tangled around mid-calf.

"Shit," Stiles whispered.

"No women's underwear?" Danny asked and it wasn't insulting. He simply sounded curious.

"Dude, no way. You can't actually tuck in those things unless they're made for dudes and why are we even talking about this? I'm shutting up."

"No, don't. I want to hear you."

Danny slid his arms under Stiles' thighs and teased the head of Stiles' cock. Stiles let his head fall back onto the pillow with a thud. Surprisingly he was quiet at first although his breathing quickened. Then Danny was mouthing down the shaft before taking him into his mouth and Stiles was lost. He whimpered before biting his lip in an attempt to not make anymore embarrassing sounds. He was afraid that, like the endless amount of porn he had watched, Danny would stop and say, "I said I wanted to hear you" and then tease him relentlessly for not being a "good boy" and he had to stop watching so much porn. Instead Danny picked up the pace, flattening his tongue along the vein on the underside of Stiles' cock and holy shit. That was the best thing that had ever happened to Stiles in his short life.

Danny's hands moved, brushing lightly, up Stiles' sides. He paused for a moment when he reached the bra Stiles had completely forgotten he was wearing, but soon he was wasting no time in unhooking it, pushing it aside, and rubbing Stiles' nipples with his palms. That wasn't really doing it for Stiles, so he tapped Danny's shoulder. Danny stopped and Stiles groaned.

"Something wrong?"

"No, uh, not at all. Just, um, nipples don't do it for me it seems."

"Okay. We don't have to do that."

Danny took Stiles back into his mouth and hummed. The vibrations felt fantastic and Stiles knew he wasn't really going to last long. It wasn't like his virginity was a big secret and he had no shame. Plus, wouldn't that be, like, a huge ego boost for Danny anyway? So he happily laid back and enjoyed the last couple minutes of the ride.

"I'm close so yeah. Warning. That's the polite thing to do, right?"

Danny pulled back and began to pump Stiles' cock. "Learned that from your research too?" he teased, but his voice was all low and seductive and that was all it took. Stiles came, belatedly realizing that his spunk was now all over his dress.

"Damn. It took a whole month's worth of allowance for this thing."

Danny reappeared from under the dress and frowned. "Is that really all you can say now?"

"Sorry. It was amazing and I don't actually care about the dress. At all. There will be other dresses. I mean, maybe. I don't know."

"There should be. I like confident drag queen Stiles."

"The name is Sasha and she's more like a drag princess right now." Stiles sat up and pulled the dress and bra off. He kicked off his underwear and wiggled down the bed so he was next to Danny. He thought it would feel weird to be naked while Danny was still fully clothed, but he was too worn out to care. Besides, he didn't plan on Danny being clothed for much longer. "So, you should totally take your clothes off too."

"You should do it for me," Danny retorted.

Danny had been right - Stiles did always enjoy a good challenge, so he leaned over and pushed Danny's shorts, along with his underwear, down and off the bed. Danny did end up helping a little when he sat up and pulled his tee off, tossing it over to the side. Stiles sat on Danny's legs, effectively pinning him in place, and experimentally stroked his cock.

"Now I've only done this to myself before, so it may take a minute or too before I blow your mind, okay?"

"Okay," Danny said, and he already sounded breathless.

"Is it okay if this is all I do? After you blew me? Because I am all for blowing you someday. I just don't think I'm ready for that right now. Despite the fact that I actually tried to practice once. It was a complete disaster, though, and I..."

"Oh my God, Stiles. I'd tell you to shut up, but that's actually kind of hot."

"What? That I practiced giving a blowjob?"

"Yes," Danny hissed as Stiles twisted his hand on the upstroke.

Well then. He could work with this.

"You want to know how I practiced? I used my fingers. I know it's not much, but I worked with what I had. I sucked them in as far as I could, practiced the sounds I'd make..."

Danny moaned and next thing Stiles knew, he felt cum dripping down his fist.

"We need to get cleaned up," Danny muttered after a minute.

"We could use my dress. It's already stained." Stiles flopped down next to Danny, though, making no move to retrieve it.

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I should have said that before."

"It's alright. Seriously. I just had my first blowjob. You could have ripped it to shreds and I wouldn't have minded. Don't do that, though," Stiles quickly added. "I need something to wear home."

Danny laughed. "I'll lend you some clothes."

"Does this mean we're dating now?" Stiles asked before he could stop himself. He turned his head so Danny couldn't see him blushing.

"Stiles. Hey, Stiles. Don't be like that. It's alright to wonder what's going on. I recently had a really bad break up."

"The one guy who also had his drink spiked at The Jungle?"

"Yeah. It's not that I don't like you, but it's going to take awhile before I want to make a real commitment. Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Stiles lied. "It's okay."

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Stiles decided he never wanted to move again. He promptly fell into bed when he got home and had succeeded so far in the not moving department for two hours. He knew he would have to get up when his dad got home. He had promised him they'd have dinner together since he was working a normal nine to five shift for the first time in a week. It meant he was technically working a double since he'd been at the station the whole night before, but it worked out for Stiles who hadn't gotten home until early afternoon once everything with Jackson and Gerard was settled. Well, as settled as it could be. Stiles' head was still spinning. It was way too much to take in at once.

And then his phone was ringing. He fumbled for it before remembering he had enough sense to place it on his bedside table.

"Hey Dad. They letting you out early?"

"Um, no, it's Danny."

Shit. Stiles had been so tired he hadn't even read his caller I.D. correctly.

"Sorry. I just... I wasn't expecting anyone besides my dad to call today. What's up?"

"I thought, if you weren't busy tonight, if you'd like to go on a date. A real one."

"Oh wow, I'm so sorry, because I would really like that, but I promised my dad that we'd have some good, old father slash son bonding time tonight. We haven't in awhile with things being crazy, you know?"

"No, that's cool. I understand."

Danny sounded so disappointed that Stiles forgot how he was kind of irrationally mad at him.

"I'm free tomorrow, though."

He wasn't. Not technically. He was supposed to finally catch up on all the homework that had been piling up for days and he and Scott were going to play some video games while pretending their lives were completely normal and he was going to spend some much needed time alone before going to sleep at a semi-decent time. But it only made sense to set those things aside for just one more day.

"Alright. I'll call you tomorrow then. Around seven?"

"That sounds great. I'll talk to you then."

**Me:** hey dude sorry but plans 4 tomorrow changed  
 **Scott:** whats up  
 **Me:** going out w/danny  
 **Scott:** SCORE

Stiles rolled his eyes and tossed his phone onto the bed. He dug around in his backpack for his chemistry book. Might as well get some of his work done now since the next day would be spent freaking out over his date with Danny. He really shouldn't have been nervous considering everything that had happened, but he still was. He already was sweating profusely and curse his teenage hormones. He was eventually able to concentrate on his work - so much in fact that he didn't hear his dad knock on his door.

"Tough assignment?"

Stiles jumped. "Holy sh... shakes. I did not hear you come in. Uh, no. Just... a lot on my mind."

"Okay, well if you're done making up new curses, I started dinner. You wanna help out?"

"Yeah, I'll be down in a minute."

Stiles quickly finished balancing the equation he had been working on and then slammed his textbook shut. He ran down the stairs and slid into the kitchen.

"Like a bull in a china shop," his dad muttered. It's what his mom always said.

"So, what's for dinner? And it better be relatively healthy."

"I found a recipe for vegetarian lasagna in this magazine Debbie had." Debbie was one of the officers that worked with his dad and was probably the best cook Stiles had ever met. She used to bring them tupperware filled with "leftovers" that they all knew she had made especially for them. "That's relatively healthy, right?"

"Well, if it's Debbie approved, it's alright with me. What can I do to help?"

They finished preparing dinner while making mostly small talk and then sat down at the table to eat. Stiles continued to tell his dad about the game he and Scott had played that was "the best game ever" but it was obvious his dad wasn't paying much attention. Eventually he sighed and set his fork down.

"Stiles, if something was going on, you know you could tell me."

"Something? Nothing's going on. Only normal teenage stuff."

"It's just that after the other weekend, I am worried you know."

"I told you. It was some kids from the other team. Boys do that kind of stuff all the time."

"You've never gotten into fights before. No matter what it is you said."

"Okay, so it might not have been what I said rather than who I am," Stiles said before he could stop himself.

"What does that mean? Did they hurt you because you're the son of the sheriff?"

"What? No Dad, that's not why. It's..." Stiles wanted to tell his dad the truth, he really did, but he knew that he still couldn't drop the whole werewolf thing on him just yet. He figured he could stretch the truth a bit, though, and get some less insane things off his chest while he had the chance. "It's because I'm bisexual."

And holy shit. There it was. Stiles had come out.

It felt pretty damn good.

"Alright. I'm not sure what to say. I support you no matter what actually sounds mean and that should go without saying anyway. But I'm glad you told me. Do you have a boyfriend? Is that how they found out?"

"Not really. Kind of, maybe. Danny and I have been spending some time together, but we haven't gone on a date or anything. Um, well, we are tomorrow."

"I thought you said Danny just broke up with his ex-boyfriend. Isn't that a bit sudden?"

Stiles wanted to hug his dad. He would have if the table wasn't between them because out of everything, the one thing his dad was concerned about was that Danny was rushing into a relationship. Stiles knew his dad would be cool about it and yet it still was catching him off guard.

"We're taking it slow," he reassured his dad and hoped and prayed he was not blushing.

"That's good. You should invite him to dinner sometime. In a couple weeks, maybe? That should be enough time. If you want to, I mean. I know that is the exact opposite of what most kids want their boyfriends to do. Meet the parents."

"Are you kidding? Danny would love you, but yeah. It'll be awhile before we get there. I'll definitely give you a heads up."

"Good, though it wouldn't be a problem if you didn't considering my eyes are always bigger than my stomach." His dad pushed his plate away and stood up. "I'm going to pack the rest of this up. Did you finish all your homework?"

"Yeah," Stiles lied. "I'm actually going to call it an early night."

"Okay. Goodnight and I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."

Stiles hugged him, then, and smiled. It was exactly what he needed after the last month he had. He carried himself up the stairs, kicked off his pants, and crawled into bed. He wasn't lying around being tired. His last conscious thought before he fell asleep was Danny and wondering what he had planned for tomorrow.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Danny called at exactly seven to tell Stiles he'd be picking him up in half an hour. Stiles stared at his closet for about ten minutes before he realized anything he picked would still be better than the sundress he wore the last time he'd seen Danny outside of school. He grabbed one of his nicer shirts and then sprayed a little of the cologne he got an infinite number of Christmases ago.

His dad was working late again so Stiles left a note even though he had already told him he was going out. Then he made sure all the doors were locked before heading outside to wait. He only had about five minutes before Danny was supposed to be there. The wind was picking up, but it was nice enough out that Stiles decided he shouldn't waste time heading back in for a hoodie.

Fifteen minutes later and Danny still wasn't there. Stiles wrapped his arms around himself in an attempt to stay warm, but it was starting to get to him. He checked his phone for the twentieth time, but there was no message from Danny.

**Me:** alright ill be waiting outside [sent 7:25 p.m.]  
 **Me:** where are u? [sent 7:35 p.m.]  
 **Me:** is everything ok? [sent 7:52 p.m.]  
 **Me:** fuck u 2 [sent 8:01 p.m.]

It had been half an hour and Stiles finally had enough. He headed back inside and stood in front of the radiator in the hallway for a minute. The heat was barely on at this time of the year, but it helped a little. His phone vibrated and he excitedly pulled it from his pocket only to be disappointed when he saw it was from Phoenix.

**Phoenix:** jungle?  
 **Me:** absolutely

Stiles changed into a new Sasha outfit he had bought after saving up some more cash. It was more "laid back cute librarian" than anything, but he knew it suited her. Pink capris, a cami, and a flower cardigan completed the look. He grabbed his keys and headed out, trying to push Danny as far from his thoughts as he could. The Jungle was packed on a Friday night, but Stiles had no trouble finding his friends in the crowd. He snuck up behind Phoenix and tapped her gently on the shoulder.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up," she shouted. "Sasha, darling, you look adorable!"

"Thanks. So, are you going to buy me a drink after making me drive all the way here?"

"Shouldn't your boyfriend be the one buying the drinks?"

"He stood me up, but I thought I could count on my girls..."

Stiles trailed off and he knew the low blow would earn him at least one drink, if not more. In the end, everyone that was there bought him one round each. He was pretty intoxicated, and he only called it that when he was drunk, so he decided to step away from the bar even if it took every ounce of control he had not to stumble and fall. He headed over to a table and sat down, people watching as he waited for his head to stop spinning. Phoenix waved to him from the dance floor and Stiles did his best to smile back. He probably failed considering he let his head drop to the table, just to rest his eyes for a minute. His phone started vibrating from inside his purse and he really did not want to have a text conversation with Phoenix when she was right there, so he ignored it.

It took about an an hour for Stiles to feel human again and he joined Joan on the dance floor for a couple songs. It was getting late, though, so he headed back to the bar and asked for a glass of water. Then another. And another. He said goodnight to anyone who was still hanging around and then made his way outside. He probably shouldn't drive legally, but he only had four drinks and it had been over an hour, he told himself. He still ended up sitting in his jeep waiting a little longer before he started her up.

His dad's cruiser was in the driveway when he got home, but the lights were off, so Stiles let himself in and started to tip toe up the stairs.

"Must have been an interesting first date."

Stiles turned around and smiled awkwardly. "Uh, hi Dad. Thought you were asleep."

"No, I decided to do some paperwork in my office and wait for you to get home so you could tell me about your date. Not so sure if I want to know now. Not that I think this is wrong," he corrected himself. "Maybe you should keep it between the two of you, is all."

"I didn't go out with Danny," Stiles admitted. "He stood me up. But yeah. I kind of dabble in drag, I guess. I don't know. It's a new development."

"Is that why you and Scott were at that bar the other night with Danny?"

"No, we _were_ there to get Danny out, but it was when I met some other drag queens. They kind of talked me into it."

"Is it fun? Because I think it's good you have a fun hobby. I mean, it looks like you're good at it. You look... convincing."

"Oh God, please stop," Stiles groaned. "But thanks."

"Well, I'm glad you still had fun and I'm sorry Danny stood you up. It's late, though, so I think it's time we both hit the hay."

"Sounds like a plan. I just have to..." Stiles gestured to his face. "A lot to take off in the make-up department, so you go ahead."

Stiles found the make-up remover pads he had hidden in the back of the bathroom cabinet and moved them to prime realty on the sink. It took him about fifteen minutes to completely clean his face and then five more to change out of Sasha's outfit. He climbed into bed before he remembered he had left his phone in his purse and he needed to charge it. He got up and plugged it in. The screen lit up and he realized he had five missed calls, twenty texts, and one voice mail - all from Danny.

Shit.

Stiles dialed his voice mail and listened to the message. Danny sounded like he was panicking and Stiles immediately felt terrible for ignoring his phone at the bar.

_"Hey Stiles, I'm so sorry I never showed up. I hope you can forgive me, but I understand if you're pissed off. I get it. There's no excuse for standing someone up like that, but, uh, I have to ask you something. Did you know Jackson was a werewolf?"_

Double shit.

\----------------------------------------------------------------

Stiles had no clue why he thought it was a good idea to randomly show up at Danny's house the next day, but he knew he had to talk to him before he turned tail and ran. He was outside knocking for what felt like hours before Danny finally answered the door. He looked like he hadn't slept, which Stiles realized was probably true. He knew he didn't sleep much when he thought Scott was a werewolf, but that was because he was morbidly fascinated and researching all that he could on the topic. Danny just looked confused and scared.

"Stiles? Did you get my messages?"

"I did and I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I went out last night when you didn't show up and I didn't know how to deal with anything."

"So you knew?"

"Yeah, and I should have told you. In my defense, he only just became a werewolf. He was something else before that and that's why he's been acting weird, well weirder than usual, recently. Also, he's obviously not the only one. Scott is one too. A werewolf. And Erica, Issac, and Boyd. Plus my cousin Miguel. Who isn't my cousin. Did I say I was sorry?"

"Well, I know about the rest of that. I was worried something was seriously wrong with Jackson like drugs considering he was declared dead. I was afraid he overdosed."

"Wait." Stiles stared at Danny and started laughing uncontrollably. "You knew about werewolves... the whole time?"

"I'm not an idiot."

"Oh thank God. At least I don't have to hide it from you, then. It would have been such a strain on our relationship. Now I can be like, 'Sorry honey. Can't hang out tonight. I have to chain up Scott. Full moon. You know how it is.'"

Danny smiled. "Our relationship? So you're not totally pissed off at me?"

"Well, yeah I was mad, but obviously you had a lot on your plate at the time. I think I can find it in my heart to forgive you," Stiles said jokingly.

"It was a pretty crazy night," Danny admitted.

"I feel ya. My dad caught me in drag."

"What?"

"Never mind. You want to go out for lunch? I can catch you up on all things wolfy?"

"That sounds perfect. Just let me go get changed." Danny turned around to head back inside, but stopped for a second to kiss Stiles on the cheek. He disappeared, then, before returning a few minutes later. "So where do you want to go?"

"I was thinking Subway."

"How romantic."

Stiles rolled his eyes. He was supposed to be the sarcastic one in the relationship. And there was the word again. They were really doing this after all. Things were far from okay yet, and while having Danny on the good guys side now would be helpful, Stiles knew there would be worrying in the future. Is Danny okay? Did he get hurt? He was sure Danny would feel the same way too. That was if they worked out, and Stiles really hoped that they would. He needed something nice in his life - yeah, there was drag too which was great in its own way and the new friends he made who he already wouldn't trade for anything in the world - but Danny could be that thing. And having him there, holding Stiles' hand as they walked down the street to Subway, was the biggest confidence booster in the world.


End file.
